Labor

Having sex and having orgasms (through sex or self-stimulation) during pregnancy are both safe unless the doctor advises against it. Uterine contractions and intense orgasms are totally natural as are cramping and a change in shape or hardness of your belly after reaching climax. To be on the safer side, always consult with your doctor for safe suggestions and positions to try while having sex or while masturbating.

Loud noises during pregnancy can have a trail of negative impacts on the developing fetus. Constant exposure to noise above 120 decibels may cause hearing loss in the babies. Sudden loud noises can startle the baby leading to increased activity. Harsh noises also cause fetal abnormalities, reduced birth weight, preterm delivery, and can change the structure of the fetal brain.

Labor has 4 stages. Stage 1 lasts between 12 to 19 hours. Here, contractions get increasingly intense and more frequent and your cervix dilates to 10 cm. Stage 2 lasts between 20 minutes to 2 hours. You start pushing and deliver your baby during this stage. Stage 3 lasts 5 to 30 minutes. The placenta is delivered in this stage. Stage 4 indicates the first 2 to 3 hours after birth – time for you to rest, recover, and breastfeed.

Preterm birth can be caused by conditions like preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Early uterine contractions or having twins (or more) may also induce early delivery. If you have a family history of preemies or have had one before, your risk increases. It’s also likely if you’re a teenager, over 40, have chronic stress, drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes. Wait at least 18 months to prevent premature birth.

Whether you can give birth to fraternal twins depends on your genes. Other factors that raise your chances include age above 35 years, a higher BMI, a diet rich in dairy products, and multiple pregnancies. IVF is known to hike the chances too. Do note, however, that the factors responsible for the conception of identical twins remain unknown.

While it is best to let nature take its course once you are full term, sometimes inducing labor becomes necessary. Best natural, safe labor induction methods include acupuncture, herbal remedies like red raspberry leaves, fenugreek, blue cohosh, and castor oil, nipple stimulation (manually or using a breast pump). Sexual intercourse is another option you could try!

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Fetal monitoring, in one form or another, has been around for a very long time. Prior to the 1970s, fetal monitoring was typically done with a person listening to your baby with a special stethoscope designed for use in pregnancy, often called afetoscope. (This is called auscultation.) 1. Reading a Fetal[.....]